Vijay Deverakonda Drops One Script Out of Respect, Picks Kingdom

Vijay Deverakonda’s next film Kingdom, directed by Gowtham Tinnanuri, has officially wrapped its shoot. The film, produced by Sitara Entertainments in association with Fortune Four Cinemas, is now in post-production and is set to release on July 31.

Speaking about the project, Vijay revealed that the collaboration with Gautham was finalised before a script was locked. “Kingdom is a film where I picked the director even before the script. I just wanted to work with him,” he said.

Interestingly, Gautham had pitched two scripts. Vijay chose Kingdom after turning down the other due to similarities with a film already in the making. “The other script was good, but it overlapped too much with something that was already happening. I know the makers, and even though we could’ve finished ours first, it didn’t feel ethical or respectful,” he explained.

He added that Kingdom aligned more with his current interest as well. “It’s an action drama, something I’ve been wanting to do. And it’s told in Gautham’s style,” Vijay said.

The film marks the first collaboration between Vijay and Gautham, who is known for his emotionally driven storytelling, particularly in Jersey. With the shoot completed and the release nearing, Kingdom is positioned as a key release in Vijay’s lineup, especially as he looks to bounce back from a mixed run at the box office.